OLYMPIA, Wash. – The state Supreme Court on Thursday dealt The Seattle Times a major victory in its efforts to end a joint operating agreement with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer — a ruling that could lead to the P-I’s closure, though more legal battles remain.

“We recognize this day is not a happy day in the ongoing story of Seattle as a two-newspaper town,” the high court ruled in its unanimous decision, written by Justice Tom Chambers. “We genuinely hope that both the Seattle Times and the Seattle P-I will continue to serve our communities and prosper.”

The Times has been trying to get out of the agreement with the P-I’s parent company, The Hearst Corp., since April 2003, saying the agreement is no longer profitable because of changes in the market. The Times seeks to invoke a clause in the contract that allows either paper to end the agreement if it suffers three consecutive years of losses.

I answered a survey yesterday (my first non-radio one!) one my Seattle P-I reading habits. “Do you read the Seattle P-I on Monday?” “No.” “Do you read the Seattle P-I on Tuesday?” “No.” “Do you read the Seattle P-I on Wednesday?” “No.” “Do you read the Seattle P-I on Thursday?” “No.” “Do you read the Seattle P-I on Friday?” “No.” “Do you read the Seattle P-I on Saturday?” “No.” “Do you read the Seattle P-I on Sunday?” “No.” and so on. I was happy to help.